JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Heavy downpours have caused nuisance flooding for years and those in the Arlington Hills community said they are demanding answers and waiting for change.
Photos of cars driving through a flooded Woolery Drive in Arlington Hills after heavy rain have become normal for homeowner Dennis Thibault.
Thibault has lived in the Arlington Hills neighborhood for 41 years.
After he and other neighbors spoke out about recent flooding, he said some change is happening.
“A crew came back and a crew from the city came and they cleaned out the storm ditches behind us which is just a temporary fix,” Thibault said. “Will be all backed up again because people are dumping waste and the streets will flood again.”
This week they were spared by severe weather.
“During Tropical Storm Elsa we held together pretty well but we didn’t have any heavy bands of rain. We just had spurts and the road held up real well this time. We appreciate everything News4Jax and you have done,” Thibault said.
Thibault said he and others want the city to check on the drains more often, not just before a storm.
News4Jax reached out to the city asking what steps will be taken to help reduce potential future flooding in the neighborhood.
“The Woolery Road drainage system is most adversely impacted by the rear-lot drainage ditch. The Department of Public Works has developed a capital improvement project that focuses on this rear lot system, specifically to address the downstream drainage crossing at Arble Drive. The design has been completed and the construction contract has been awarded…provided the contract execution proceeds as anticipated, construction could start in September,” the city wrote in a statement.
The project would begin in two months.
The construction project is some of the best news these neighbors have heard in a while. As they wait for improvements, they hope heavy rain doesn’t flood their community again.